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The Transportation Security Administration does not include most plants on the "Prohibited Items" list, making them easy to travel with in the United States -- within reason. Plants that break other rules, like ones carrying too much water or exceeding the carry-on size limit imposed by your airline, may be rejected either by the TSA or at your airline gate. If you wish to bring your plant from an international destination, you will be subject to inspection by the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol.

Packing Plants

Keep your plant level and covered while you are traveling. Bring a plate or a level surface upon which to rest the base of the plant and wrap it in a plastic bag to avoid spilling soil in the plane. If you plan to store the plant under your seat or in an overhead compartment, make sure it is securely stowed and unable to topple or spill on a neighboring passenger's luggage.

Plant Parts

Leaves, twigs and flowers are easier to transport because they are not potted in soil. Bundle them in newspaper and place them on the conveyor belt to pass through TSA security. Although you could put them in the overhead compartment on the plane, your plant parts will be more likely to survive intact if you carry them on your lap.

International Plants

Contact the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service before you travel to find out if your plant will be allowed through the Customs inspection when you reach the U.S. border. The Customs and Border Patrol website contains general advice about agricultural products and includes a list of generally approved items, including fruits, vegetables, nuts and plants. Regardless of whether a plant is pre-approved to enter the country, it must still withstand a physical inspection for pests at the border.

Commercial Plants

If you intend to plant and propagate any foreign plant or plant part in the United States, you need to obtain a phytosanitary certificate from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. You must present this certificate, as well as the plant or plant part, upon your border inspection and the vegetation must be declared pest-free by border personnel.

Special Cases

Some fruits and vegetables carry special restrictions, such as fruit infected with citrus canker, a disease rampant in citrus trees in Florida. The USDA strictly prohibits carrying infected fruit or parts of citrus trees across state lines and out of the infected area. If your plants may be carrying any type of disease or have any irregularity, contact the USDA before you travel to avoid fines and speed your trip.